Key case



y 8, 1954 s. N. LELCHUK ETAL 2,678,556

KEY CASE Filed Sept. 19, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 5 Fig. 6 Fig. 7 30 22 -30 7 2a 0 ELALh '1' s, '1 F V :8 "Wm 14 4? -16 42 40 Q54 J 44 J0 I 1 .1 2 46 *!46 -12 ,.16

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Patented May 18, 1954 KEY CASE Sheldon N. Lelchuk and Stanley D. Stearns, Miami, Fla.

Application September 19, 1952, Serial No. 310,518

Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements and structural refinements in key cases, and the principal object of the invention is to provide a key case which is adapted to accommodate a plurality of different keys and is equipped with means for selectively and individually projecting such keys into an operative position.

, One important feature of the invention resides in the provision of means for individually locking and sustaining the keys in their retracted position until such time as the locking means are manually released, while another feature of the invention resides in the provision of means for simultaneously retracting one or more of the keys which have been projected.

Some of the advantages of the invention reside in its simplicity of construction, in its efficient and convenient operation, and in its adaptability to economical manufacture.

With the above more important objects and features in view and such other objects and features as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention consists essentially of the arrangement and construction of parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a front elevational View of the invention with the keys retracted;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the invention with one of the keys in its projected position;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the device shown in Figure 1;

Figure '4 is a top plan view of the device shown in Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view of the key case on an enlarged scale, illustrating one of the key holders in its retracted position;

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view, similar to that shown in Figure 5, but illustrating one of the key holders in its projected position;

Figure '7 is a vertical sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 7-4 in Figure 5;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the manner in which the key holder locking means are released;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary sectional detail, taken substantially in the plane of the line 9-9 in Figure 5;

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the key holder retracting means, and

Figures 11 and 12 are elevational views of two different key holder guides used in the invention.

Like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts in the specification and throughout the several views.

. Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the invention consists of a key case which is designated generally by the reference character Ill and embodies in its construction a vertically elongated housing l2 including a top wall M, a side wall [6 and having an open 18, the upper ends of the guides 24 being equipped with horizontally extending members 26a, 26b,

250 which have provided thereon upwardly pro- J'ecting stems 28 equipped with hand actuated knobs 30.

The stems 28 project upwardly through the top wall 24 of the housing l2 through the respective slots 22 and it will be apparent from the foregoing that when any one of the knobs so is manually shifted from the position shown in Figures 5 and 6 to the position shown in Figure 8, the associated guide 24 will be shifted away from the side wall [6. However, the guides 24 are formed from resilient material and are biased to a position adjacent the side wall, as shown in Figures 5 and 6.

Each of the guides 2 consists of a pair of spaced parallel rods 2411 which are connected at their lower ends to a single rod 24?) of an arcuate configuration, it being the resiliency of the rod 241) which urges the entire guide toward the side wall of the housing.

An elongated key holder 32, provided with a slot 34 to slidably receive the rods 24a is positioned on each of the guides 24 the key holder also being formed with an elongated, split opening 36 to removably receive a key 38.

By virtue of this arrangement, the several key holders and the associated keys are slidable vertically on the respective guides 24 from. a retracted position, shown in Figures 5 and 8 to a projected position shown in Figure 6. It is to be noted that the slot 34 in each key holder is of such length as to substantially correspond to the spacing of the guide rods 24a, so that when the key holder is in engagement with the two guide rods, it is sustained in a substantially horizontal position as shown. However, when the key holder is permitted to slide downwardly to the rod Mb, it is also permitted to swing downwardly to a projected depending osition, as shown in Figure 6. It is to be noted that in that position the key 38 attached to the projected key holder is entirely exposed for use, while in the retracted position as shown in Figure 5, the key holder as the housing.

A plurality of am shaped lugs or detents All are provided on the inner surface of the housing side wall It to supportably engage the respective keyholders 32 and retain the same in their retracted position, but when the knobs 38 are --urge'the associated key holder to its projected position, and means are also-provided for simultaneously retracting any of theprojected keys.

These means consist of a transversely extending retracting bar 44 which is formed integrally with a guide =65 slidable in the aforementioned slot 2 G, while a shank 43 on the guide at projects outwardly through the slot and carries an actuating knob When the several key holders 32 are in their retracted positions, the bar 44 underlies the same, as

"show-11in Figures 5 and 8, but when any one of the {key holders is manually released, the resiliency of the associated spring -32 not only urges the appropriate key holder downwardly on its guide, but also slides the bar id downwardly in. the slot 2a to the position shown in Figure 6.

Thereupon, when the projected key or keys are to be retracted, they are simply swung upwardly to a horizontal position by manual means, thereby compressing the spring 42 during this movement so that the key holder or key holders are disposed above the bar 44 as the bar appears in Figure 6,

and by simply sliding the knob 5c upwardly on the,

housing, the bar 44 will simultaneously retract one or more of the projected key holders and keys to the retracted position shown in Figures 5 and 8. Suitable detents 52 may be struck inwardly from the side wall iii of the housing so as to engage the underside of the bar 54 in its retracted position and resist the sliding thereof downwardly until such time as such sliding is effected under the pressure of any one of the springs d2 when one or more of the keys are manually released.

It is to be noted that the various knobs 35 are disposed in longitudinally as well as transversely staggered relation so that they are readily accessible for individual, selective use. Of course, the

staggered disposition of the knobs is afiorded by the provision of the guide members 26a, 25b and 26c of difierent lengths.

' well as the associated key are fully concealed in It is to be also noted that when the key holders are in their projected positions, the associated keys become fully exposed and may be removed from or installed on the key holders, as desired.

It is believed that the advantage and use of the invention will be clearly understood from the foregoing disclosure and accordingly, further description thereof at this point is deemed unnecessary.

While in the foregoing there has been shown 'and described the preferred embodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing fro'mth'e spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

l lavi-n-g-describedthe invention, what is claimed as new is:

'l. Akey case comprising a housing having an open bottom and including a side wall and a top wall, a plurality of key holder guides extending from the bottom to the top of said housing, 'a

plurality of 'keyho'lders slidable on the respective guides between projected and retracted positions,

resilient means provided on said guides for urging the key holders to the projected position, detent means in said housing for locking the holders in the retracted position, means on the top wall of said housing forselectively and individually shifting the guides away from said detent mea'ns for releasing the key holders, and means provided on the sidewall of the housing for simultaneously returning released key holders to the retracted position.

2. -'In a key case, the combination of a housing having an open bottom and including a side wall and a top wall provided with a slot, an elongated key holder guide secured at its lower end to said sidewall at the open bottom of the housing, the upper end of said guide being movable in said slot toward and away from the side wall, a key holder movable upwardly and'downwardly on said guide, a detent on said side wall engageable with said holder for locking the same in its upwardly slid p'osition, and a manually actuable knob provided at the upper end of said guide for moving the same away from the side wall to disengage said holder from said detent. I

3. The device as defined in claim 2 wherein said guide is resiliently biased toward said side wall.

4. The device as defined in claim 2 together with resilient means on said guide for urging said holder downwardly.

5. The device as defined in claim 2 together with manually actuable means provided on said side wall and engageable with said holder for moving the same upwardly on said guide.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name 7 Date 2,393,373 Hendrix Jan. 22, 1946 2,608,851 Leif Sept. 2, 1952 

